How to Choose Skis with the Right Base – Part 3: Colour, Ageing and Ski Base Care
In Part 1, we explained why the material and manufacturing process of a ski base deserve our attention when choosing cross-country skis.
In Part 2, we looked at graphite, other additives and how they may influence ski base properties.
So by now, we should know how to choose the perfect skis.
But what if even a very good ski base doesn't last forever?
What if its properties change because of sunlight, material ageing, mechanical wear or even our own maintenance procedures?
And what if buying a good pair of skis turns out to be only the beginning?
Unfortunately, I have some unpleasant news.
Even a good ski base needs proper care.
Does Ski Base Colour Matter?
In the previous part, we learned that ski bases don't have to be black.
They may also be transparent, white, blue, green, red or even purple.
Colour may result from the additives used, but it can also be part of a manufacturer's technical design.
One property that surface colour can influence is the absorption of solar radiation.
Dark surfaces generally absorb more visible light than light-coloured ones.
Under certain conditions, they may therefore become warmer.
And ski base temperature can influence processes taking place during contact with snow.
However, even here there is no simple universal rule.
The actual result depends on the spectral properties of the material, radiation intensity, temperature, skiing speed, snow conditions and many other factors.
Furthermore, visible colour alone does not necessarily tell us how a material behaves in the infrared part of the spectrum.
We cannot simply claim that black bases will always be faster in sunshine and light-coloured ones better in shade.
Unfortunately, life is not quite that simple.
So if your child desperately wants skis with a purple base, you don't have to explain that this decision will destroy their racing career.
And if they really do have a racing career already, I certainly wouldn't leave the entire ski selection process to their favourite colour.
Ski Bases Age, Too
The main material used in many high-quality cross-country ski bases is UHMWPE, or ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene.
This material offers very good resistance to mechanical wear.
But even UHMWPE is not indestructible.
Its properties can gradually be affected by several processes:
- Mechanical wear during contact with snow.
- Surface damage caused by unsuitable maintenance.
- Exposure to sunlight, particularly UV radiation.
- Oxidation and other degradation processes.
- Changes in surface structure and possible contamination.
Not all these processes are the same.
And they don't all occur at the same rate.
A well-manufactured ski base that is used appropriately and maintained correctly can retain very good properties for a long time.
Problems arise when its surface no longer behaves as we need it to during contact with snow.
Oxidation Isn't the Only Explanation
In ski servicing, we often hear someone say that a ski base has oxidised.
Particularly when its originally black surface begins to look grey or whitish.
But a change in appearance does not automatically mean that chemical oxidation of polyethylene is the only cause.
Mechanical wear, surface roughening, changes in microstructure or a combination of several processes can produce a similar appearance.
Polyethylene can certainly undergo oxidation, especially under suitable combinations of oxygen, radiation, heat and other factors.
These reactions may change the chemical structure of the polymer and its surface properties.
However, if a ski base becomes lighter after several outings, its appearance alone cannot reliably tell us how much of the change is chemical and how much is mechanical.
For ordinary skiers, something else is more important.
A changed or damaged ski base surface may not glide as well as one that has been properly prepared.
And that is precisely why regular maintenance makes sense.
Why Do We Wax Ski Bases?
Waxing isn't just for competitive skiers.
A properly selected and applied glide wax can influence friction between the ski base and snow, help establish suitable surface properties and make subsequent maintenance easier.
It can also offer some protection against contamination and certain adverse environmental influences.
However, the result depends on the specific wax, ski base material, preparation method and snow conditions.
We certainly shouldn't imagine a polyethylene ski base behaving like a sponge that simply absorbs whatever wax we pour into it.
Nor should we assume that all wax molecules become permanently trapped between freely protruding polyethylene chains.
The actual interactions between wax and the ski base are more complicated.
And another important factor is the gradual wear of the wax layer during skiing.
Anyone who has ever prepared skis to perfection and discovered after a few kilometres that the glide is no longer quite so perfect knows this very well.
Waxing can help, but it cannot stop every process of ageing and wear.
Why Protect Ski Bases with Wax After the Season?
One traditional method of preparing skis for summer storage is to apply a continuous layer of suitable glide wax.
This can help protect the surface against contamination and reduce direct exposure to certain environmental influences.
However, it is not a perfect or permanent barrier against every chemical reaction.
For long-term storage, it's also important to avoid unnecessary exposure to high temperatures and intense sunlight.
A clean, dry storage area with a reasonably stable temperature is preferable.
And if we have applied a thick protective wax layer, we need to remove the excess and prepare the base correctly before skiing again.
Because a thick layer of paraffin that served us well during storage is not necessarily the best solution for moving quickly across snow.
That would be rather like driving away from a car workshop with the protective wrapping still attached to the tyres.
What About Brushing and Mechanical Maintenance?
Good ski base care involves more than waxing.
Cleaning and appropriate brushing are important, too.
Brushes help remove excess wax and dirt and clear the surface structure of the ski base.
But we need to choose suitable brushes and use appropriate working procedures.
Excessively aggressive brushing can damage the surface mechanically or change its properties in undesirable ways.
That doesn't mean every metal brush automatically causes chemical oxidation of polyethylene.
What matters is the brush material, bristle construction, pressure, speed and overall technique.
As with waxes, a correctly used tool can be very useful.
An incorrectly used one can do more harm than good.
And naturally, the price of the tool doesn't change that.
When Does a Ski Base Need Professional Servicing?
If skis consistently glide poorly, applying another layer of wax isn't always the answer.
Sometimes we need to examine the ski base surface itself.
Especially when it is visibly damaged, unevenly worn, contaminated or has an unsuitable structure for the snow conditions.
In such situations, professional cleaning, careful surface treatment or stone grinding may be appropriate.
But grinding isn't automatically the best solution to every problem.
Every grinding operation removes some material and changes the surface structure.
So there should be a clear reason for doing it.
Good maintenance isn't about working on the ski base as often as possible. It's about knowing when and why intervention is necessary.
One Small Advantage of Slow Children's Skis
And finally, let me make one slightly inappropriate observation.
Throughout this series, we've been discussing how to achieve the best possible glide.
But every parent who has ever gone cross-country skiing with several small children knows that maximum speed isn't always an advantage.
One child starts racing downhill.
Another decides to head in the opposite direction.
The third has just discovered that the forest is far more interesting without you.
And suddenly you're standing in the middle of a beautiful winter landscape, wondering why you bought them such fast skis in the first place.
Perhaps it would have been easier to give them skis that don't glide at all.
Skis that might even slow them down while going downhill.
Family outings would become considerably more peaceful.
But deliberately neglecting ski bases certainly isn't a good idea.
Skis that glide badly can make cross-country skiing frustrating for children.
And after all, we'd rather they learn to love skiing.
Not remember it as the worst family tradition of their childhood.
Conclusion of the Entire Series
Throughout these three articles, we've seen that ski base quality depends on several factors.
The material used.
The manufacturing process.
The additives that may modify its properties.
And the way we use, maintain and prepare the surface.
Brand, colour and high price alone cannot guarantee the best skis for our actual needs.
Of course, correct ski length, stiffness and construction remain equally important.
And once we've managed to buy a genuinely good pair of skis, we should take reasonable care of them.
A good ski base matters. A properly selected ski matters even more. And ultimately, the best skis are the ones that make us enjoy skiing.
That applies to competitive athletes and recreational skiers alike.
And perhaps most of all to our children. 😀